Senin, 12 Oktober 2009

Snus (English pronunciation: /ˈsnuːs/) is a moist powder tobacco product that is consumed by placing it under the lip for extended periods of time. It is a form of snuff that is used in a manner similar to American dipping tobacco, but typically does not result in the need for spitting. Snus is also unique in that it is steam-cured rather than fire-cured, is not fermented and contains no added sugar. The sale of snus is illegal in the European Union[1][2], but due to exemptions, it is still manufactured and consumed primarily in Sweden and Norway and more recently, the United States with the introduction of various snus products by R.J. Reynolds, Philip Morris USA, and Lorillard.

There are two main types of snus on the market:

* Original snus or loose snus is a loose, moist powder which can be portioned and packed into a cylindrical or spherical shape with the fingertips or snus portioner. The end result is often referred to as a pris (pinch) or prilla or prell (slang for pris).
* Portion snus, is prepackaged powder in small bags made from the same material as teabags. It comes in smaller quantities than the loose powder but is considered easier to handle (and expectorate) than the loose powder.

Swedish snus is made from air dried tobacco from various parts of the world. In earlier times tobacco for making snus used to be laid out for drying in Scania and Mälardalen. Later Kentucky tobaccos were used. The ground tobacco is mixed with water, salt, sodium carbonate and aroma and is prepared through heating, generally via steam. Moist snus contains more than 50% water, and the average use of snus in Sweden is approximately 800 grams (16 units) per person each year. 12% (1.1 million people) of the population in Sweden use snus[1]. Unlike dipping tobacco, snus has not gone through a fermentation process.

Snus is sold mainly in Sweden and Norway, and was trialed in South Africa and the United States, where it is now available in most cities. It can be found in various places frequented by Scandinavian tourists like Murmansk in Russia (with the notable exception of countries in the EU; see below). It is sold in small tins, which in the earlier years were made of porcelain, wood, silver or gold. At the time of writing, portioned snus usually comes in plastic tins of 24g, while loose snus is mostly sold in compressed paper tins with plastic lids, at 45g (50g before 2008).

Portioned snus is most commonly sold in three different variants, namely mini, normal/large and maxi. The weights may vary, but the most sold snus labels share their weight. Mini portions weigh 0.5g, with 20 pieces per tin. Standard portions weigh 1g, with 24 portions per tin, and maxi portions weigh 1.7g, with 17 pieces per tin.

There are two types of portioned snus available: Original and White. Original portioned snus has water sprayed on the sachet during the manufacturing process, which results in a higher moisture content. White portioned snus does not undergo this step, which results in the snus having a mellower flavor. In Sweden, White portion snus is more common among younger tobacco consumers.

There are several different strengths of snus available. Standard snus contains approximately 8 mg of nicotine per gram, while "Ekstra Sterk/Strong" brands may contain as much as 17 mg of nicotine per gram. Mini portions usually contain 4 mg of nicotine, since there is less tobacco in each sachet. As well, there are nicotine-free varieties of snus, which are made with ingredients to resemble the consistency and flavor of real snus.

The price for the 45g product is approximately €3-5 in Sweden and €7.50 in Norway as Norwegian taxes are higher.
[edit] Health consequences